On Christmas Eve 1946, 125 mineworkers braved freezing temperatures to sing carols by candlelight at the Newkirk Tunnel near Tamaqua, PA. Their voices echoed through the snowy hills, forging a new holiday tradition underground. An unlikely yet moving scene of hope and unity. Read the full story.
In this 1864 photo, the USS Canonicus ironclad refuels with anthracite coal, the almost-smokeless fuel from Pennsylvania’s Coal Region that powered the Union blockade during the Civil War. Discover how this vital resource helped shape naval strategy and fueled dramatic changes across Northeastern Pennsylvania. Read the full story.
This 1900 colorized postcard reveals a bustling colliery in northern Schuylkill County, where towering breakers and constant rail traffic powered America’s industrial age. \ Explore how Mahanoy City thrived on anthracite coal, fueling expansion until the industry’s decline in the mid-20th century. Read the full story.
An illustration shows Pennsylvania mineworkers receiving their pay at a company store. Read the full story. The company store system kept workers and their families attached to the colliery and was often exploited to keep them trapped in a form of exploitation.
"Anthracite rallies" encouraged miners to produce more coal to help the American war effort in 1942.
In December 1922, Donald Tarr tragically lost his life in a mining accident at the Burnside Colliery near Shamokin, Pennsylvania. As one of the small number African American miners in the region, Tarr and his family had deep roots in the local coal industry. Discover the story of this skilled miner and the legacy of his family in the anthracite fields. Read the full story.
Illustration from 1873 shows operations on the Lehigh Canal
An 1863 map of Schuylkill County included the drawing of the new mining operation started in 1862 in northern Schuylkill County.
These young Pennsylvania mineworkers had a crucial job to fulfill in the underground labyrinths of the anthracite collieries.
A lunch scene in the coal mines of Northeastern Pennsylvania was depicted in an 1873 edition of Harper's Weekly Magazine.